SYSTEM FOR ANALYSING THE SKIN AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20120172685A1
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: ERGYLINK
• Inventors: GILBERT, Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 9,427,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/306
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0035 Vaccination diagnosis other than by injuring the skin, e.g. allergy test patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/02 specially adapted for a particular organ or body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0051 by applying vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/444 Evaluating skin marks, e.g. mole, nevi, tumour, scar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6888 Cabins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers

Abstract

A system for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin (1) and by extension hair, via optics (7, 4) and image processing (4, 5) elements notably include a consumer electronics device (4). The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin notably includes a step wherein at least one digital image is acquired via a consumer electronics device. According to a first aspect, the method notably aims at applications in the field of cosmetics or that of skin cancer screening, and according to a second aspect in the field of assisting with diagnosis of allergies.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin (1) by means falling under optics (4, 7) and data processing of image (4, 5), notably for screening skin cancer or for proposing at least one product adapted to the skin and/or to the hair, characterized in that it comprises:

a consumer electronics device, capable of acquiring at least one image by digital means and capable of producing data in relation with said at least one acquired image; and

means for processing said data in connection with said at least one acquired image with the purpose of producing information in relation with at least one characteristic of the skin.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means for producing optical magnification of the image (7).

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise complementary optical means (8) for providing high optical magnification of the image.

4. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image have characteristics which may be identified by an identification means included in the image.

5. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise a consumable.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that the consumable has characteristics which may be identified by an identification means included in the image.

7. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise:

means for sharpening the image during an image acquisition at a shorter distance than the shortest distance possible for which said consumer electronics device was designed; and

means for temporarily attaching said image-sharpening means onto said consumer electronics device so that the image-sharpening means are suitably placed relatively to the objective of the consumer electronics device.

8. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise:

means for sharpening the image independently at a distance at which is found the objective of the consumer electronics device used for acquiring the image; and

means for temporarily maintaining the image-sharpening means in a functional position on the skin.

9. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise means for transforming the expression of at least one physical, chemical or biological characteristic of the skin so that said at least one physical, chemical or biological characteristic of the skin may be appreciated by image processing.

10. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise means for allowing the user to enter at least one piece of information into the image.

11. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise means for calibrating at least one characteristic of the image.

12. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise means for illuminating the area of shooting.

13. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise means for determining the focusing distance by contact between a hardware element and a portion of the body of the person for whom at least one characteristic of the skin is desirably analyzed.

14. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image further comprise means for providing at least one piece of information to the user.

15. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for producing optical magnification of the image are laid out so as to be delivered to the users in a form with small thickness using flexible materials so as to be able for example to be inset in a magazine or sent in an envelope.

16. A method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin by means falling under optics and image processing, characterized in that it comprises steps during which:

at least one digital image comprising a skin surface is acquired by means of a consumer electronics device;

data in relation with said at least one acquired image are recovered in a format suitable for image processing operations;

the recovered data which are in connection with the acquired image are processed so as to produce at least one piece of information in relation with at least one characteristic of the skin.

17. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which a digital image containing the head of the person for whom at least one characteristic of the skin is desirably analyzed, is acquired.

18. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which means are placed for producing optical magnification of the image before its acquisition between the objective of said consumer electronics device and the skin, at least one characteristic of which is desirably analyzed.

19. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 18, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which at least one piece of information is entered into said at least one image of the skin as it will be acquired by means of a consumer electronics device.

20. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 18, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which said at least one image of the skin as acquired by means of a consumer electronics device and/or the data from the processing of said at least one image are corrected according to calibration information which is introduced into the image by the means for producing optical magnification of the image.

21. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which information required for the system is entered by at least asking one question to the user.

22. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which at least one piece of information is transmitted to a remote server from a consumer electronics device connected to a network.

23. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which at least one portion of the expected results by receiving at least one piece of information from at least one remote server is handed over to the user.

24. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which at least one product is selected from a set of at least one cosmetic product proposed as being adapted to said at least one characteristic of the skin which was analyzed or relates to the latter.

25. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which the preferences of the user through selections which he/she made in the proposals which were made to him/her are stored in memory, said preferences associated with the user in a database being possibly used for promotional purposes and/or for pushing information of interest and/or for sending samples of products which may be attractive after testing, and/or for proposing other products which may be attractive according to said at least one product selected in the previous step.

26. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which a transaction in relation with the transfer of ownership of said at least one finally selected product is validated.

27. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which a loyalty account is credited.

28. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step during which the manufacturing of at least one selected product is launched.

29. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises a step for providing a list of dermatologists and/or hospitals comprising a dermatology department in proximity to the user localized beforehand.

30. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 29, characterized in that it further comprises an automated step for making an appointment.

31. The method for analyzing at least one characteristic of the skin according to claim 30, characterized in that it further comprises handling of priority depending on the urgency of the case.